UK records its hottest summer on record, but not the driest

The UK has just witnessed its hottest summer on record, as confirmed by the national weather bureau. Average temperatures reached an unprecedented 16.5°C, marking the warmest summer since records began in 1884, according to provisional figures released on Tuesday. The summer was also among the sunniest since 1910, with the third-driest July on record.

England experienced its driest July in a century, prompting drought declarations across half the country. This summer followed a record-breaking heatwave in late spring, with June and July both ranking as the second-warmest on record. A late August bout of rain slightly cooled temperatures for that month. Dr Amy Doherty, who leads the National Climate Information Centre at the Met Office, noted that these record-breaking conditions are becoming increasingly frequent, underscoring the impact of human-induced climate change on UK temperatures.

The five warmest summers have all occurred since 2003, with this year and last year surpassing previous records. The highest temperature recorded was 38.1°C at Kew Gardens, London, on August 13. Notably, 54 Met Office weather stations recorded their highest daily maximum temperatures ever this summer. Climate projections indicate that such extreme summers will become more common as global warming continues.